Title: Shadows Of The Past
Author: Kathryn
Summary: Six years ago Jess had broken up with her, and Rory had always wondered what went wrong. Now, on the eve of Luke and Lorelai's wedding, he returns to town, and Rory must piece together exactly why he left, while being drawn to him through mysterious circumstances. Will the two of them find their way back to each other?
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, because if I did, Jess would obviously be getting a lot more screen time. ;)
~*~
Rory Gilmore needed wine, and lots of it. Not to say that she was an alcoholic or anything, but she could have really used a stiff drink right about then. It would have taken some of the pressure off, helped calm her nerves down. That's what she needed right now. To relax. However, due to the fact that Jess was close by, that would be nearly impossible. Every little sound or movement would just about send her off the deep end; she was a regular basket case all right.
"This place is lovely, isn't it?" Emily Gilmore tapped her granddaughter on the back of the shoulder, startling her. Giving a slight jump, Rory turned around.
"Uh, yes, it's very nice," she managed.
"You know, I wanted to talk your mother into a big, fancy wedding, but she simply wouldn't have it," Emily continued, sipping her wine. "Turns out, she was right. This place is simply stunning, isn't it? I never knew a place like this existed in such a small town."
"Yes, Grandma," Rory said politely, although, in truth, she wasn't really paying attention.
Seeing her mother standing over by the food table, Rory found a perfect opportunity to slip away. Not that she didn't love her grandmother, but still - she could work on a person's last nerve at times.
"Oh, look," Rory said, pointing towards her mother. "There's mom. I should go say hello."
Walking towards where her mother was standing, Rory felt a hand bump her arm. Startled, she backed up, and then jumped when she felt cool liquid running down the front of her dress; soaking beneath the material and making her shiver.
"I'm so sorry - it was an accident - here, let me help you."
The all too familiar voice broke her out of her shock, and she looked up to meet the dark eyes of Jess, her ex-boyfriend, who was now standing directly in front of her, wearing what looked to be a concerned smile. Of course, it had to be him. She just knew the fates were working against her somehow.
"Jess?" she whispered, backing away. He seemed surprised too; probably hadn't realized whom exactly he had bumped into. She saw his jaw clench.and then his face soften, somehow. Like it was the old Jess standing in front of her, the one she knew before the breakup. Of course, that was silly, because the new Jess and the old Jess were one and the same.
"Here," he said, picking up a napkin off a nearby table. Reaching out her hand, she took it from him hesitantly, afraid of making the slightest movement. Or maybe she just didn't want to break the peaceful silence that had fallen between them, for whatever reason. It was nice, just being able to stare at him without any words spoken.
She began to wipe herself off, avoiding eye contact. "Thanks."
Eyes cast downward; he shifted uncomfortably, but made no move to leave. She didn't know whether to be thankful or disapointed. "So. how have you been, Rory?" he finally asked. She knew his question held some importance, because she could hear the emotion in his voice, causing it to crack a little. Although she didn't like to admit it, she had been going through some tough times just before he had left, and she knew he might be worried about her because of that. But, in retrospect, it was silly, because she was now perfectly fine. She didn't need his faux pity any longer.
"Good," she said, nodding her head. "I've been doing good."
His eyes bore into hers, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. "I mean, really. Is everything going okay? It's been awhile, I just wanted to-"
"It's okay," she cut him off quickly, not wanting him to go into a further explanation of his feelings. "I'm employed now, have been for awhile, so you don't need to worry about that."
"That's.great," he said, a grin appearing on his face. She thought it seemed forced; a little awkward, maybe, but she couldn't really blame him. After all, this entire situation was awkward. Finally, he cleared his throat, and this time his voice was serious. "I always knew you would bounce back. You were just having a dry spell before, that's all. So what've you been doing for a living?"
"I run an Inn with my mother. I know," she said, with a small chuckle. "I didn't think it would work, either, but surprisingly enough, it's been a huge success." That in itself was true enough, she supposed. On the outside, her life appeared to be one big success story - her new business was blooming; she was young, beautiful and talented, but on the inside, she knew different.
"Wow, that's cool," he said, with a surprising amount of sincerity. She hadn't expected him to actually care; she just thought he was making conversation. "Myself? I've just been drifting here and there, not really doing much. You're lucky to have found something you love doing in life - it gives you a purpose."
"Yeah, lucky me," she mumbled, with some sadness.
"What?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. It was nothing. Just talking to myself again."
"Huh."
"It's been a long time since you've been back," she blurted out, the words escaping her mouth before she could even think. "I was starting to wonder if you were dead or alive."
Fiddling with the hem of his shirt, he avoided eye contact. "Yeah, I've been meaning to call-"
"You don't have to pretend, Jess," Rory interrupted. "It's been years since our breakup. You don't have to pretend you actually cared in order to spare my feelings. Really, I'm over it."
"I DID care, Rory." he started to say something more, but then stopped himself. Instead, he just threw her a helpless look, but remained silent.
"Whatever," she said, before turning around. She wasn't going to play his games anymore; she was tired of it. It was always this way with him; one minute he could be the most caring person imaginable, and then the next, a block of ice, completely shutting her out. She was tired of guessing with him, tired of getting her heart broken; tired of everything, in fact. The only thing she wanted now was closure. Some sort of answer to give herself peace of mind, so she could finally move on, without the past forever haunting her.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard a voice behind her, thick with emotion. "Wait, Rory, don't leave," Jess said, desperation tinging his words. She felt her legs go weak, and once again she was putty in Jess Mariano's hands. She hated this, hated the hold he had over her. "I don't want you to."
Turning around to face him, she felt a lump rising in the back of her throat. She wasn't going to cry though, not yet. "I-I have to go."
And with that, she was running; past the dancing people and the tables of food, past all the pain and misery that had haunted her life for so many years, out into the unknown. She ran down the street, the wind whipping her hair, the tears stinging her eyes - and still, she did not stop until she had put some distance between herself and the church. She needed some time to think, to collect herself.
Shivering, she sat down on the edge of the curb, hugging herself protectively. God, she was such a basket of nerves, it was unbelievable. Here it was, the day of her mother's wedding, and all she could think about was her own pain. She really hated herself sometimes.
What had Jess wanted?
That thought flashed through her mind, cutting off everything else. He had acted so different in the church, so caring. It was almost like the past hadn't even happened, and they were ready to turn over a new leaf. But she knew it was all a façade, because in reality he didn't really care about her.
Or did he?
Author: Kathryn
Summary: Six years ago Jess had broken up with her, and Rory had always wondered what went wrong. Now, on the eve of Luke and Lorelai's wedding, he returns to town, and Rory must piece together exactly why he left, while being drawn to him through mysterious circumstances. Will the two of them find their way back to each other?
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, because if I did, Jess would obviously be getting a lot more screen time. ;)
~*~
Rory Gilmore needed wine, and lots of it. Not to say that she was an alcoholic or anything, but she could have really used a stiff drink right about then. It would have taken some of the pressure off, helped calm her nerves down. That's what she needed right now. To relax. However, due to the fact that Jess was close by, that would be nearly impossible. Every little sound or movement would just about send her off the deep end; she was a regular basket case all right.
"This place is lovely, isn't it?" Emily Gilmore tapped her granddaughter on the back of the shoulder, startling her. Giving a slight jump, Rory turned around.
"Uh, yes, it's very nice," she managed.
"You know, I wanted to talk your mother into a big, fancy wedding, but she simply wouldn't have it," Emily continued, sipping her wine. "Turns out, she was right. This place is simply stunning, isn't it? I never knew a place like this existed in such a small town."
"Yes, Grandma," Rory said politely, although, in truth, she wasn't really paying attention.
Seeing her mother standing over by the food table, Rory found a perfect opportunity to slip away. Not that she didn't love her grandmother, but still - she could work on a person's last nerve at times.
"Oh, look," Rory said, pointing towards her mother. "There's mom. I should go say hello."
Walking towards where her mother was standing, Rory felt a hand bump her arm. Startled, she backed up, and then jumped when she felt cool liquid running down the front of her dress; soaking beneath the material and making her shiver.
"I'm so sorry - it was an accident - here, let me help you."
The all too familiar voice broke her out of her shock, and she looked up to meet the dark eyes of Jess, her ex-boyfriend, who was now standing directly in front of her, wearing what looked to be a concerned smile. Of course, it had to be him. She just knew the fates were working against her somehow.
"Jess?" she whispered, backing away. He seemed surprised too; probably hadn't realized whom exactly he had bumped into. She saw his jaw clench.and then his face soften, somehow. Like it was the old Jess standing in front of her, the one she knew before the breakup. Of course, that was silly, because the new Jess and the old Jess were one and the same.
"Here," he said, picking up a napkin off a nearby table. Reaching out her hand, she took it from him hesitantly, afraid of making the slightest movement. Or maybe she just didn't want to break the peaceful silence that had fallen between them, for whatever reason. It was nice, just being able to stare at him without any words spoken.
She began to wipe herself off, avoiding eye contact. "Thanks."
Eyes cast downward; he shifted uncomfortably, but made no move to leave. She didn't know whether to be thankful or disapointed. "So. how have you been, Rory?" he finally asked. She knew his question held some importance, because she could hear the emotion in his voice, causing it to crack a little. Although she didn't like to admit it, she had been going through some tough times just before he had left, and she knew he might be worried about her because of that. But, in retrospect, it was silly, because she was now perfectly fine. She didn't need his faux pity any longer.
"Good," she said, nodding her head. "I've been doing good."
His eyes bore into hers, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. "I mean, really. Is everything going okay? It's been awhile, I just wanted to-"
"It's okay," she cut him off quickly, not wanting him to go into a further explanation of his feelings. "I'm employed now, have been for awhile, so you don't need to worry about that."
"That's.great," he said, a grin appearing on his face. She thought it seemed forced; a little awkward, maybe, but she couldn't really blame him. After all, this entire situation was awkward. Finally, he cleared his throat, and this time his voice was serious. "I always knew you would bounce back. You were just having a dry spell before, that's all. So what've you been doing for a living?"
"I run an Inn with my mother. I know," she said, with a small chuckle. "I didn't think it would work, either, but surprisingly enough, it's been a huge success." That in itself was true enough, she supposed. On the outside, her life appeared to be one big success story - her new business was blooming; she was young, beautiful and talented, but on the inside, she knew different.
"Wow, that's cool," he said, with a surprising amount of sincerity. She hadn't expected him to actually care; she just thought he was making conversation. "Myself? I've just been drifting here and there, not really doing much. You're lucky to have found something you love doing in life - it gives you a purpose."
"Yeah, lucky me," she mumbled, with some sadness.
"What?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. It was nothing. Just talking to myself again."
"Huh."
"It's been a long time since you've been back," she blurted out, the words escaping her mouth before she could even think. "I was starting to wonder if you were dead or alive."
Fiddling with the hem of his shirt, he avoided eye contact. "Yeah, I've been meaning to call-"
"You don't have to pretend, Jess," Rory interrupted. "It's been years since our breakup. You don't have to pretend you actually cared in order to spare my feelings. Really, I'm over it."
"I DID care, Rory." he started to say something more, but then stopped himself. Instead, he just threw her a helpless look, but remained silent.
"Whatever," she said, before turning around. She wasn't going to play his games anymore; she was tired of it. It was always this way with him; one minute he could be the most caring person imaginable, and then the next, a block of ice, completely shutting her out. She was tired of guessing with him, tired of getting her heart broken; tired of everything, in fact. The only thing she wanted now was closure. Some sort of answer to give herself peace of mind, so she could finally move on, without the past forever haunting her.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard a voice behind her, thick with emotion. "Wait, Rory, don't leave," Jess said, desperation tinging his words. She felt her legs go weak, and once again she was putty in Jess Mariano's hands. She hated this, hated the hold he had over her. "I don't want you to."
Turning around to face him, she felt a lump rising in the back of her throat. She wasn't going to cry though, not yet. "I-I have to go."
And with that, she was running; past the dancing people and the tables of food, past all the pain and misery that had haunted her life for so many years, out into the unknown. She ran down the street, the wind whipping her hair, the tears stinging her eyes - and still, she did not stop until she had put some distance between herself and the church. She needed some time to think, to collect herself.
Shivering, she sat down on the edge of the curb, hugging herself protectively. God, she was such a basket of nerves, it was unbelievable. Here it was, the day of her mother's wedding, and all she could think about was her own pain. She really hated herself sometimes.
What had Jess wanted?
That thought flashed through her mind, cutting off everything else. He had acted so different in the church, so caring. It was almost like the past hadn't even happened, and they were ready to turn over a new leaf. But she knew it was all a façade, because in reality he didn't really care about her.
Or did he?